Last year, I wrote about the need for more involvement with the Church for those who struggle with substance misuse, both for people who are in recovery as well as for those who are at risk of overdose. I've also shared on my own website numerous statistics and ways that youth pastors and parents can work with teenagers for prevention as well as understanding what is out in the community right now and how it impacts mental health in teens, too.
The concern that I see right now is what the Church can do to help those struggling, in light of COVID. You may have heard it said that the pandemic has increased the mental health and suicide risks for people. But the risk of substance misuse and overdose is also trending poorly. Just as with mental health, people have been isolated, with so few people have been checking in on each other. The lack of "normal" means that we do not notice when someone is missing, so when someone is struggling with alcoholism or other substances, it goes unnoticed.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has a great website of resources under DrugAbuse.gov with regards to COVID-19 and Substance Use, as well as other things you may want to check out. Here are an interesting set of facts from the website:
Using substances increases your risk of getting COVID (1.5x more likely) and having more severe symptoms that those who do not use substances (11% more likely to be hospitalized and 3% more likely of death). This includes those who vape or misuse alcohol.
People who are on medication assisted treatment due to alcohol, nicotine, or opiate use can still get the COVID-19 vaccine and are encouraged to do so.
"Provisional data shows that drug overdoses have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 92,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States from November 2019 to October 2020, the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, according to recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
What Can I Do To Help?
The first thing you can do is see the whole person. Telling people to "just stop," labeling them as "just an addict," and saying that substance use is "just sinning, you need to repent" does not help. Christians and church leaders, we need to keep seeing the whole person. Recovery is possible but not easy, and they need support.
Photo credit: DrugAbuse.gov.
The second thing is to be aware. You may say, "This isn't in my church," but 19.7 million American adults (aged 12 and older) battle a substance use disorder (NSDUH Annual Report). My suggestion is to understand what the symptoms of substance use are. I have a list of things to look for here.
Finally, who would you send someone to for help if they are struggling? And if they cannot pay because they have burned every other bridge, what other support do you have? I'm not saying your church needs to spend money for mental health support—though I'd ask why not—because there are resources out there. But you need to be proactive in finding good counselors for referrals, as well as withdrawal management and aftercare programs. Also, find out how your church can incorporate groups like Celebrate Recovery or other Christian mental health groups.
What Have You Seen Done Well?
I always have my eyes open and ear to the ground to learn what ministries and churches are doing mental health support well. If you have seen a church give good mental health support, I'd love to know. And keep praying for those with substance misuse struggles. We all could use some extra prayers.
(For people who want to get involved with substance abuse prevention and support, the International Overdose Awareness Day website and the National Recovery Month website have resources.)
Jeremy Smith is a clinical mental health counselor in Ohio and founder of www.churchandmentalhealth.com.
